The state’s authorised worker mandate – which extends to politicians – will come into effect from Friday.It will mean that any MP that refuses to get jabbed will be blocked from attending parliament and voting on bills.While the motion received cross-party support and will be moved to the upper house, Liberal MP Neil Angus voted against it, labelling the mandate “medical apartheid”.He said he believed Victoria was racing towards a “totalitarian regime”, adding that the mandate went against the values of freedom, individual responsibility and personal choice.“This motion is actually not about vaccinations, it is about freedoms. Freedom for an individual to make a choice regarding a provisionally approved invasive medical procedure, freedom to be a part of society, freedom to have a job and earn a living, freedom to keep private personal medical records, freedom of democracy,” he said.“In my opinion, freedoms are well worth fighting for.”Mr Angus, who declared that he wasn’t an anti-vaxxer, is understood to have not received a Covid-19 jab.In his statement to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday morning, Mr Angus argued he was providing a voice to the Victorians, who through necessity or free choice, had chosen not to be vaccinated against the virus.“I’m standing here for the many thousands of Victorians who are about to lose their jobs tomorrow as a result of exercising their conscience, and their free choice,” he said.“I’m standing here for the people who have been coerced into being vaccinated. I’m also standing here for all the doctors who have been forbidden from exercising their best medical judgments for their patients. I’m standing here for the ordinary Victorians, who have been silenced and forbidden from gathering together to express a point of view different from this government.”Outside parliament, Liberal leader Matthew Guy, said the motion had received the support of his party.Mr Guy said he believed a mandate for politicians was “the right thing to do” given that those in critical industries – like healthcare and education – had to be vaccinated.“It’s incumbent on members of parliament, as leaders in our community, to do the same thing,” he said.When asked about Mr Angus’ viewpoint, Mr Guy said: “I don’t agree with his point of view, clearly, but parliament will make that determination and he’ll have to live with that parliamentary consequence.”He added: “I can’t force a 60 year old man to get a medical procedure. What I believe in is educating people as to why it’s so important, and whether it’s Neil or someone else who doesn’t believe in it, we try to encourage and educate.”
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